Starting Pacers small forward T.J. Warren has incurred a small navicular left foot stress fracture and will need surgery to address it, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. There is no timetable for his return to the hardwood, but Warren is expected to miss a decent portion of the 2020/21 season, says Wojnarowski.
New Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren could look to compensate for Warren’s loss by giving additional minutes to Justin Holiday, Doug McDermott and Kelan Martin at the wing.
This season, Warren was looking to build on a scorching run he enjoyed in the Orlando 2019/20 season restart, averaging almost 31 PPG in six regular season Orlando games. He was Indiana’s fourth-leading scorer during the young ’20/21 season, averaging 15.5 PPG (on 52.9% shooting from the floor) and 3.5 RPG across Indiana’s first four games. The Pacers were 3-1 in those contests.
Wojnarowski notes that the 6’8″ forward out of North Carolina State underwent a similar surgery on his right foot while with the Suns in 2016. Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that Warren has thus far missed 119 of a possible 569 regular season games since being drafted with the No. 14 pick by Phoenix in 2014.
Warren, 27, has two years and $23.9MM remaining on his current contract with Indiana.
From an injury standpoint, this season blows.
That will definitely hurt Indiana
Good grief guess no one wanna stay health this year. This sucks!
He was great in the bubble averaging 31 PPG.
Hopefully he will come back before the end of the season.
Yeah what’s with all these injuries. Are they out of game shape. It’s a pandemic only thing to do is work out eat right. Don’t get it. Or is it no rest in between seasons this yr. Not a good trend. Bench guys could determine the season this yr. Stay awake n ready.
These types of injuries (non-traumatic bone injuries) are usually a result of overuse. Reasonable to expect more than usual with the short offseason, but not this soon (more toward the end of the season). This player might have a predisposition. Surgery for a stress fracture is rare, so he shouldn’t be expected back soon.
No incident mentioned… not a good start this year for Warren… maybe he thought it wasn’t working, to continue.
Pacers are set up tp go forwardless but that has Not yet proven to be a success.